Floor construction for freight-cars.



W. P. BETTENDORF, DBO'D. J. w. BBTTENDOBL ADMINISTRATOR. FLOOR GONSTRUUTIGN FOR FREIGHT CARS.

uruonzon nun my 19, 1910. 986,422. Patented Mar. ,7, 1911.

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III/I W. P. BETTENDORP, DEOD. J. W. BBTTENDORP, ADMINISTRATOR. PLOORI CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT ems.

APPLIUATION FILED l lAY 19, 1910. v

Patented Mar. 7, 1 91 1.

. plates,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM I. BE'r'rnnnonF', or nn'r'rnnnonr, IOWA; .T. w. nn'r'rnnnonr ADMINIS- rm'ron or SAID WILLIAM P. nn'rrnnnonr, pncnnsnn,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Continuation of application Serial No. 533,605, fllecl December 17, 1909. This'appllcation filed May 19, 1910.

- I Serial No. 562,185.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that 1, WILLIAM P. Bn'r'rnlvpour, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Bettendorf, inthe county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Floor Construction for Freight-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

M invention relates to freight cars and particular] to the construction of the floor 'and under rame thereof.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide a floor rihcipally composed of sheet metal but provided with. sunken wooden nailing strips which permit the anchoring" of freight in a well known manner, and which can be easily replaced from time to time as needed. This I accomplish by the means hereinafterfully described and as particularly pointed out-in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a transverse section of the floor of a car embodying my improvements taken in a transverse plane mediatethe bolster and end-sill. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at a point adjacent the body-bolster of the cars. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe floor of the car showing the sidewalls thereof in section. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a longitudinal section of the floor at one end of the 'car in the longitudr nal plane of one of the nailing strips. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end of a floor strips about to be inserted.

Referring to the drawings A represents the single I-hcam center-sill oi the underframe of a freight car, and particularly of the metal box-car. deseribed'and claimed in the application or Letters latent'of the l nited States, filed December 17. 1909, Serial No. 533.605. in which the subject-matter of this application was originally disclosed in part. '1 represents tlieneedlebeams or transverse bearersioi said underframe: C the cl'lannel-bcan'i side-sills thereof. and D the end-sills of the same. The needlel MUS B are, preferably, continuous from side to side-of the car, and pass through suitable openings in the web of the said centcr-sill,--the upper surface of the double flanges of which latter is on the same plane as the upper surfaces of the flanges of the channel-beam side-sills, substantially as shown in the drawings.

at this point that I do notdesire to be comv It may be observed gle I-beam center-sill, in view of the fact that, so far as the novel features of my invention are concerned, a double center-sill, or a box-center-sill may be used just as well. Between the eenter-sill and the side-sill the resting uponarid secured to them that consist of inverted U-shaped metal castings, that may be reinforced, if desired, by webs ululerneath.

The floor-of the car consists of a series of longitudinal sheet metal plates 6, the ends of which are riveted to the u )per flanges of the end-sills. and the outer l ong'itudin'al edges of the plates, nearest the side of the ear, rest upon and are riveted to the upper flanges of the side-sills. The op iosite or inner longitudinal edges of said ast mentioned plates, as well as both longitudinal edges 0 of the between the same, are correspondingly flanged downward and secured together, preferably in longitudinal planes between the center-sill and nearest stools, on either side thereof. and between ,said stools. These floor-plates b, are, in the vertical planes of the stools a provided with longilongitudinally from end-sill to end-sill of the car. The end edges of these floor-plates, in alinement with said grooves or channel; (I are recessed or cut away as at w, Fig. 5, and the end edges of the grooves rest upon and are riveted or otherwise secured to 'thc longitudinally projecting. horizontal branches of inverted L-shaped brackets 71, the vertical branches of which-are secured to the web of the end-sill in a suitable manner, substantially as shown in Fig. 4c of the drawings. These channels are deep enough so that, their bottoms rest upon said stools, while their upper surfaces are all in the same strips, D, that are secured therein, in any suitable manner, and are of such dimensions that their upper surfaces are, preferably, 1n

mainder of the floor.

l/Vhen heavy frclght such as machmery,

a car possessing my improved floor construction. it is nailed in -.place ,-"to prevent 1ts shifting when in transit y framework or metal strips "to;

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

fined to a-car underframe employing a sin-v needle-beams are provided with stools a,

remaining floor-plates, composing the floor tudinal grooves or channels d,,that extend horizontal plane. and have wooden nailing furniture, and the like, are to be loaded on the same horizontal plane as that of the rc- H1O nailing strips 11-0 This would be very difiicult' to accomplish it said floor was made entirely of metal, and would require the framework of a false floor to be built in the car before it could be satisfactorily accomplished. Whenever necessary these nailing strips may be removed and replaced at a comparatively small expenditure of labor and material.

What I claim as new is 1. A box car comprising a sheet-metal floor having longitudinally disposed wooden planks sunk into the same at suitable intervals apart.

2. A box-ear comprising a sheet-metal lloor having longitudinally disposed wooden planks sunk into the same at suitable intervals apart, and extending from end to end of the car.

3. A box-car comprising a floor made of sheet metal plates, which, between the sidesills of the car, have their longitudinal edges flanged downward and secured together, and between their edges, have longitudinal grooves, and wooden planks inserted, in said grooves and having their upper surfaces substantially level with said fioorplates.

4. A boxear comprising side-sills and a center-sill, sheet metal floor plates, the edges of the plates next the side-walls of the car being supported upon and secured to the upper surfaces of the side-sills, and the opposite edges of the said plates and of the other floor plates being flanged downward, and secured to the flanged edges next the same, and longitudinal wooden planks sunk into longitudinal grooves in the plates on each side of the center-sill.

A box-car comprising channel-beam side-sills, and a single 'I-beam center-sill, sheet metal floor plates, the edges of the plates next the side-walls of the car being supported upon and secured to the upper surfaces of the, side-sills, and the opposite edges of said plates and of the other floorplates being flanged downward, and secured to the fianged'edges next-the same, and

longitudinal wooden planks sunk into longitudinal grooves in theplates' on each side of the center-sill.

(3. A box-car comprising side-sills, a center-sill, needle-beams extending from side to side of the car through the web of said center-sill and supporting the side-sills upon their ends, and sheet metal floor plates,

means sustained by said needle-beams for supporting said plates between the centersill and side-sills, and longitudinal wooden planks sunk into said floor-plates at points on each side of said center-sill.

7. A box-car comprising side-sills, a centext-sill, needle-beams extending from s1de to side of the car through the web of said r center-sill, and supportin the side-sills upon their ends, longitudinally arranged sheet metal floor plates, metal stools secured to said needle-beams for supportingthe said plates between the center-sill. and side-sills, and longitudinally disposed wooden planks sunk into said floor plates at points on each side of said center-sill.

8. A box-car comprising slde-sllls, a center-sill, needle-beams extending from side to side of the car through the web of said cen- I ter-sill, and supporting the side-sills upon their ends, and sheet metal floor plates, the edgcsof said plates next the side-walls of the car resting upon and secured to said side-sills, and the opposite edges thereof and the edges of the other floor plates being flanged downward and secured together, means for supporting said floor plates mediate their longitudinal edges that are secured to and sustained by said needle-beams, and l longitudinally disposed wooden planks sunk into said floor latcson each side of said cent er-sill.

E). A box-car comprising side-sills, and ccnter sills, transverse needle-beams the upper surfaces of which are belowthe upper surfaces of said sills, longitudinally arranged sheet metal floor-plates the edges of said plates next the sidewalls of the'car being supported upon and secured to the side-sills, the opposite edges of said last mentioned plates and the longitudinal edges of the other floor plates-being flanged downward and secured together, and the said plates on eitherside o't' said center-sill hav ing longitudinal grooves therein mediate their side edges, wooden planks seated and secured in said groove, and metal stools sus-. tamed by said metal beams and bearlng upward against "the bottom of said grooves, and supporting said floor plates.

-' 10. A box-car comprising afloor made of.

sheet-metal plates which between their longitudinal edges are provided with longitudinal grooves and the end edges of which in alinement with said grooves are cut away, and wooden planks inserted in said grooves.

11. A box-car comprising an underframe having end-sills, a floor made of sheet-metal plates which between their longitudinal edges are provided with longitudinal gfooves and the end edges of which in alinement I with said grooves are cut-away,

wooden planks inserted in said rooves, and

brackets secured to said end-sils on which the end edges of said grooves are mounted. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of A ril 1910.

WILLIAM P. BE .TENDORF. l Vitnesses:

A. D. FRENIER, O. C. STABYF 

